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Assessing the Islanders’ situation for the upcoming Expansion Draft

During the NHL offseason, the main focus of the Islanders has been to lockup star forward John Tavares. But, with the expansion draft coming up on June 21st, with the NHL adding a team to Las Vegas, the Islanders can go one of two ways in protecting players who can’t be claimed by the Vegas Golden Knights. Teams have until June 17th to protect players. According to nhl.com, teams can either protect 7 forwards, 3 defensemen, and 1 goaltender, or 8 skaters (forwards or defensemen), and 1 goaltender. To see the complete rules of the expansion draft in detail, check them out on nhl.com. After players are protected, Vegas is allowed to select one player from each team who is not protected, and that’s how they will form their team. For argument’s sake, let’s take a look at the two options and project how the Islanders’ list may pan out.

If the Islanders go with the 7 forwards, 3 defensemen, and 1 goaltender method, here’s how that list may look:

7 Forwards:

John Tavares

Andrew Ladd

Anders Lee

Josh Bailey

Brock Nelson

Ryan Strome

Casey Cizikas

3 Defensemen:

Nick Leddy

Johnny Boychuk

Ryan Pulock

1 Goaltender:

Thomas Greiss

3 Players the Vegas Golden Knights should consider taking under this method:

Travis Hamonic (D)

Thomas Hickey (D)

Calvin de Haan (D)

If the Islanders decide to protect 8 total skaters and 1 goaltender, here’s how that list may look:

8 Skaters:

John Tavares (F)

Andrew Ladd (F)

Anders Lee (F)

Brock Nelson (F)

Nick Leddy (D)

Johnny Boychuk (D)

Travis Hamonic (D)

Ryan Pulock (D)

1 Goaltender:

Thomas Greiss

3 Players the Vegas Golden Knights should consider taking under this method:

Ryan Strome (F)

Josh Bailey (F)

Calvin de Haan (D)

Now it will be interesting to see which method of protecting players the Islanders choose, and they will be faced with some tough options. If the Islanders go with the 7F, 3D, 1G method, chances are they would lose either Travis Hamonic or Ryan Pulock, each who would probably battle for that third defensemen spot behind Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk. But, if the Islanders go with the 8 skaters and 1 goaltender method, they will be able to protect Hamonic and Pulock, but will need to decide who their 4th forward to protect will be if they only want to lock up 4. It could end up being between Brock Nelson, Ryan Strome, and Josh Bailey. So, no matter which method the Islanders choose, they most likely will lose an important player. But, this is the cost of expansion in sports, and the Islanders will pay the price. The Vegas Golden Knights will most likely gain a solid, well established NHL player from the Islanders.

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